Physician&#39;s package



y 18, 9 3 E. J. RHEIN 2,319,556

PHYSICIANS PACKAGE Filed Feb. 26, 1941 78 nmll 'lO CMM III I I I" Jim Patented May 18, 1943 PHYSICIANS; BACKAGE Edwin Rhein, VinelanrLfNi. J., .as'signonto Kimble Glass Con1pany',Vineland,' N."J., a cor- 1 -poration' of Illinois Application February 26, 1941,?SerialNo; 380,730

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a package adapted to contain and support therein a pipette and rubber suction tube. More particularly the invention pertains to an insert for a box, the insert being bent and cut in such a manner that it retains the pipette and tube against accidental displacement. At the same time, the insert is relatively inexpensive, easily made, and simple in construction.

At the present time, certain types of blood tests are made by pricking the skin and drawing blood into a pipette preparatory to dilution of the blood. The pipette is open at each end, one of the open ends being adapted to accommodate a small soft rubber tube. The pipette and rubber tube are usually contained in a single package, but frequently are loosely packed so that they may become accidentally separated or lost.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a package designed to hold a pipette and rubber tube firmly therein but permit ready removal thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pipette retaining insert for a box so cut' that the rubber tube is frictionally held in the box.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the package;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the package, the cover thereof being removed;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the insert; and

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the insert blank before it is bent for insertion in the box.

In the drawing, it will be seen that box Iil, preferably rectangular in outline, is provided with a cover II having a transparent window I2 therein. Within the box is a one-piece insert I3, shown more clearly in Figs. 4 and 5, the blank from which th insert is formed being illustrated in Fig. 5. The width of the blank is such that it fits snugly within the box, its side edges triotionally engaging the side flanges I4 of the box. The length of the blank is somewhat greater than that of the box so that its ends frictionally engage the end flanges and an intermediate raised arched portion !5 is provided, said portion being bent along the score lines it. Thus, it will be seen, the end portions of the insert rest on the to support the pipette in spaced relation to the bottom of the box. The edges of these apertures grip the pipette to hold the same against accidental displacement.

As will be seen from Fig. 5, the side edges of the blank are cut to provide substantially rectangular notches l 9 at opposite sides of the blank. The length of each notch is substantially the same as that of the portion from which the arch I5 is formed, the ends of the notches being in transverse alignment with the score lines I6. The depth of the cut is slightly less than the outer diameter of the soft rubber 20. Hence, when the rubber tube is bent as shown in Fig. 2 and forced into the spaces between the arch I5 and the side flanges I4 of the box, the tube will be frictionally held by the side flanges and edges of the arched portion of the insert, said edges being substantially parallel to the side flanges I4. This griping efiect is such that, even though the box be inverted, the rubber tube will not fall out or be accidentally displaced. At the same time it may be readily removed by the user with only a slight lifting force exerted by the finger and thumb. The arrangement provides a compact, inexpensive, and effective package for the purpose outlined herein.

While a preferred form of the invention has been shown and described, it is not intended that it be limited to the exact details illustrated. The raised intermediate portion of the insert need not be arcuate, but, if desired, bent on other score lines to provide a pipette holder having sections bent at more or less abrupt angles. It is essential, however, that the raised portion be notched to receive and hold the rubber tube.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a box for supporting therein a pipette and a rubber tube, said box having a bottom and side and end flanges extending therefrom, of a substantially rectangular one-piece insert having a raised arched portion, the end portions of said insert having a width substantially equal to the distance between said side flanges, the ends and sides of said end portions frictionally engaging the end and side flanges respectively of the box, and the edges of said raised portion being substantially parallel to said side flanges, said edges of the raised portion being spaced from said side flanges a distance slightly less than the diameter of the rubber tube whereby the tube may be forced into and frictionally held in the space between the raised por-- tion and the side flanges.

2. In combination with a box for supporting therein a pipette and a rubber tube, said box having a bottom and side and end flanges extending therefrom, of a substantially rectangular onepiece insert having a raised arched portion, the end portions of said insert having a width substantially equal to the distance between said side flanges, the ends and sides of said end portions frictionally engaging the end and side flanges respectively of the box, and the edges of said raised portion being substantially parallel to said side flanges, said edges of the raised portion being spaced from said side flanges a distance slightly less than the diameter of the rubber tube whereby the tube may be forced into and frictionally held in the space between the raised portion and the side flanges, said raised portion having aligned apertures through which the pipette is passed, the edges of said apertures gripping said pipette.

3. In combination with a box for supporting therein a pipette and a rubber tube, said box having a bottom and side flanges extending therefrom, of a substantially rectangular one-piece insert having a raised arched portion, the end portions of said insert resting on the bottom in contiguous relation thereto, the edges of said raised portion being substantially parallel to said side flanges, said edges of the raised portion being spaced from said side flanges a distance slightly less than the diameter of the rubber tube whereby the tube may be forced into and frictionally held in the spacebetween the raised portion and the side flanges, said raised portion having aligned apertures through which the pipette is passed, the edges of said apertures gripping said pipette.

EDWIN J. RI-IEIN. 

